There are 15 licensed businesses that self-identified as dolphin tour operations in the city of Orange Beach, but there are almost certainly more than that operating in the area. The city doesn't require any special designation to operate a dolphin tour and some fishing boats now run dolphin cruises full- or part-time.

The boats range from large double-decker party boats to small converted fishing boats.

I took a ride today on one of the larger boats, the 49-passenger, glass-bottom boat run by Dolphins Down Under. The dolphins were out in force in the Gulf just west of Perdido Pass, with several small groups. Captain Barry Brothers called it "Dolphin-palooza."